Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) is a multi-disciplinary approach to reducing and deterring crime through four main principles: natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement, and space management. Most commonly, these principles are displayed by creating opportunities for more “eyes on the street,” and through the use of landscaping, lighting, and signage to display natural barriers and pride of ownership in any given location, making the location less likely to attract negative forms of activity.

Having heard of the CPTED and its many benefits in other communities across the country, Gina Paradis, Executive Director of the Chautauqua County Land Bank, approached several members of local law enforcement and the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services to begin training through an online course offered by the National Institute of Crime Prevention. The county Land Bank hopes that by getting members of the community certified and knowledgeable about CPTED, that we can raise awareness for the simple ways to help deter crime throughout the county, which very directly aligns with the Land Bank’s mission of stabilizing neighborhoods to create safer and healthier housing for all. Certified CPTED Practitioners will be available for neighborhood workshops, and consultations for local businesses, schools, new developments, and much more, to help educate and provide insight on the benefits of applying CPTED principles throughout our communities.

Two local law enforcement officers have recently completed their coursework and are now certified CPTED Practitioners -Matthew Rhinehart, Community Resource Officer with Jamestown Police Department, and Joshua Arnone, Investigator for the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

“I hope that the principles of CPTED will be applied during new construction, as well as renovations in the City of Jamestown – particularly the downtown area where we face a lot of quality of life and nuisance issues, Rhinehart said.

“CPTED is a proven strategy that improves the sense of security and overall livability of an area. I hope to see Chautauqua County embrace it’s concepts in future projects,” Arnone adds.

The Land Bank’s Program Coordinator, Aili Makuch, is also a certified practitioner, having completed her training in December of 2021. “CPTED is a really wonderful tool that can be applied anywhere! Parks, schools, homes, businesses, city streets. As more of our team gets certified, it is exciting to think of all the possible scenarios where we can help apply the principles of CPTED here in Chautauqua County,” Makuch said.

Please contact the Chautauqua County Land Bank Corporation at (716) 969-7843, or email Aili at amakuch@chautauqualandbank.org for more information, or to schedule a consultation with our certified CPTED Practitioners.